4 out of 4 stars
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A fun and hilarious ride, from start to finish! I was riveted by this story.
In “Mom on the Road”, Maggie Stevens turns 40 and begins to question everything in her life. She takes us through a rundown of her growing up years, and how she got to the point where she is, 40, married, and has 3 children, all while maintaining a successful career as a lawyer. In the midst of this mid-life crisis, her 11 year old son, Matt, is offered a part in a Broadway musical tour scheduled to last for 6 months. Getting swept up in it all, they accept the job and Maggie and Matt embark on a 6 month bus tour around the country.
Maggie takes a leave of absence from her job and hires a nanny to help her husband out with the other 2 children while she is on tour. Maggie’s role on the tour is simply to be Matt’s guardian, which means she has to be in the theatre when Matt is rehearsing or performing, but the rest of the time she can do whatever she wants. Matt is sharing the role of Eddie with another boy, and the touring company has hired a tutor to teach the boys while on tour.
The tour starts with a few weeks in New York while the cast rehearses. Matt works with the tutor for 4 hours every morning and then has rehearsals in the afternoon and evening. Maggie goes shopping. Then comes the day when the bus tour begins. Maggie soon discovers that there are rules and traditions that go along with being on the bus. She and Matt also discover that the boy he shares his role with is really high-strung and can’t sit still for his lessons. His 80 year old grandmother is his guardian but she seems to be unable to keep the kid in line. At first, Maggie is uncertain of how to relate to the other cast and crew members, but this will change with time. Right now, she’s enjoying the relative freedom that her new role allows her. She gets to spend time alone, without someone constantly demanding something of her.
Maggie rates every city they visit based on the quality of the shopping and restaurants. Along the way, she does take breaks from the tour to return home for a few days, and her husband and other children fly in to join them at some of the stops. When Maggie is at home, another relative takes over. Matt has a wonderful week with his Dad, and also with his grandparents at different points. The most interesting part of the tour is how Maggie is transformed by the experience. She tries out new clothing (not always successfully), develops a sexting relationship with a cast member half her age, and rediscovers marijuana (some very funny stuff here).
Needless to say, I found this book very enjoyable. Having grown up in the same era as Maggie, her childhood stories had me in stitches, they were so true to life. I think this author has found a gift in storytelling. The story moved at a consistent pace, and I was never bored. By the end I was wishing that they were going on the China part of the tour, because I think China seen through Maggie’s eyes would be fascinating. I highly recommend this book, 4 out of 4 stars.
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Mom On The Road
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